I also have experimented with a number of recipes. This one is tops. But NO hot & sour is complete without a teaspoon or two of sesame oil toward the end. You can use 3-4 fresh mushrooms instead of dried and chicken instead of pork. The recipe calls for "pepper"-- I used white pepper. Cube the tofu. Don't cut in strips. Holds up better. If you're going to serve the dish later, hold off on the egg and onions until you're ready reheat and serve.